Continuous autumn rain.
The rain in recent days has been intermittent, causing moss to grow in the gaps of the bluestone in the courtyard. Jiang Huai has nothing to do lately and has been indulging in a lazy and leisurely life.
He has brewed several jars of Osmanthus pine nut wine, made many persimmon cakes, and prepared some pastries. When Xu Qing and Mu Yao arrive, they can have them as snacks. Recently, he has also been studying the wonders of the Flower Spirit Physique, accompanying Wen Wanwan, Wen Fufu, and Su Qingyi to the Ziyun Pavilion sub-branch to buy many spirit flower seeds, and then helped them plant their courtyard full of fresh flowers.
Jiang Huai also took the opportunity to research a few new dishes. It is the season for abundant spirit fish and crabs. He also stir-fried some dried fruits and made sweet and soft sugar-fried chestnuts every day. He also taught the foolish little fox how to play mahjong, and the foolish little fox has been very happy every day. When Jiang Huai is not around, the three of them play together.
At first, they gambled with spirit stones, but later they found it too boring and started gambling on strange things. One day, when Jiang Huai walked into the courtyard, he saw Su Qingyi’s dress piled up to her waist, with two small butterfly hair clips pinned to her chest, yet she still had the appearance of a heroic fox gambler.
It’s over. Now that Su Qingyi has come to the Eastern Region, she has picked up the bad habits of heavy drinking and gambling.
Li Qiushan sent out invitations a few days ago, and the wine party is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. Guests have been arriving one after another by spirit boat. Luo Qingyu arrived yesterday and is staying in Wanwan’s courtyard, while Luo Yueguan also came with her and is staying in Chu Xianning’s courtyard.
Xu Qing and Mu Yao arrived late at night, traveling by a spirit boat. They held hands, and Wen Wanwan welcomed them into the courtyard and led them to their arranged rooms. The courtyard has become incredibly lively now.
***
In Wen Wanwan’s courtyard.
Xu Qing was bending over, gently sniffing a white iris. Unbeknownst to her, Jiang Huai had appeared beside her. When she sensed Jiang Huai’s presence, she turned her head, her eyes meeting his.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Xu Qing suddenly puffed out her cheeks and extended a finger to gently poke Jiang Huai’s chest.
Jiang Huai was confused and tilted his head.
“Yao Yao told me everything about how you bullied her in the Ancestral Secret Realm,” Xu Qing said, her eyes showing a hint of playful grumbling amidst their gentleness. Jiang Huai felt both amused and exasperated. He stepped closer to her, “What did she say?”
“She said all sorts of excessive things…” Xu Qing poked his chest a few more times with her finger. “You can’t bully Yao Yao.”
“Hmm, if I don’t bully her, then I’ll bully you?”
“I won’t be bullied by you,” Xu Qing said, tilting her head slightly. However, she saw Jiang Huai take a step forward, his body almost in front of her. She instinctively took a step back, but Jiang Huai forced her backward step by step until she was against a tree in the courtyard. It was only when her back touched the tree that she realized she was trapped, and Jiang Huai’s hands gently held her slender shoulders. He leaned in even closer, “Really not?”
Xu Qing’s eyes darted around. No one was in sight. A blush spread across her cheeks, and her voice trembled slightly, “How can you bully me? Humph…”
Jiang Huai had already leaned in, their eyes incredibly close. Xu Qing’s heart beat faster and faster. Suddenly, she mumbled softly, “You smell so good…”
This was not the first time Jiang Huai had been told he smelled good, and he found it strange. Looking at Xu Qing’s lips, as clean as flower petals, he leaned in closer. Xu Qing, however, turned her face away in a fluster.
She was already shy, and after not seeing each other for so long, she needed some time to compose herself. Jiang Huai’s lips landed on her white and tender cheek. Her face immediately turned even more rosy, but in an instant, she heard Jiang Huai whisper in her ear, “No running.”
Xu Qing slowly turned her face back, looking at him with a playful grumble, “Bad guy.”
Her fingers poked Jiang Huai’s back as she mumbled softly, “You’re not pretending anymore?”
“Yes, not pretending anymore,” Jiang Huai gently embraced Xu Qing’s waist. Xu Qing closed her eyes, her thick eyelashes fluttering. But in an instant, she heard footsteps approaching from not far away, and she hastily opened her eyes, “Someone’s… coming…”
“It’s Wanwan and Mu Yao walking Qingyu’s Ice Spirit Bird.”
“Then, then we’ll kiss later.”
“No, we’re kissing now.”
Before Xu Qing could struggle, she was kissed by Jiang Huai. She desperately tried to break free, but her body had gone soft and lost its strength. Until she gradually became engrossed, shame cast aside, her delicate pink tongue obediently yielding to his every whim. But when their lips parted, and she regained her senses, Xu Qing saw Wen Wanwan and Mu Yao sitting on the long bench, watching them as if they were watching a play. Instantly, her face turned crimson, almost to the point of dripping water.
“I, I, I, I, I, have something to do… I’m so sleepy… No… Right… I’ll go to my room and sleep for a while.”
With that, she ran off in a hurry, still hearing Mu Yao’s laughter. Jiang Huai and Wen Wanwan exchanged glances, and Wen Wanwan blinked innocently at him.
***
Jiang Huai followed closely and arrived at Xu Qing’s room. He pushed open the door and looked at Xu Qing, who had completely hidden herself under the quilt. He leaned closer. As soon as Xu Qing poked her head out from under the quilt, she immediately retracted it like an ostrich.
Jiang Huai sat by the bedside and quietly slid his fingers under the quilt, gently holding Xu Qing’s white and tender hand. Xu Qing lifted the quilt with her other hand. “Wh-why did you follow me?”
“It’s raining, and I happen to be taking a nap.”
“Then, then why did you come to my room?”
“It’s cold, and I thought the bed had already been warmed up, so I came over.” Jiang Huai winked at her. Xu Qing snorted softly. Now that the door was tightly shut, her shyness was reduced. She lifted the quilt and gently patted the bed, “Come in quickly.”
So Jiang Huai took off his shoes, socks, and outer clothes and got into the quilt. It was warm and cozy. Xu Qing initially lay shoulder to shoulder with him, looking at the ceiling. After a while, it was Xu Qing who turned sideways and sniffed his neck, “You really smell amazing.”
“I cultivated the Flower Spirit Physique, and I can’t suppress it even if I wanted to,” Jiang Huai said, feeling both amused and exasperated.
“You don’t need to suppress it, it smells very good.” Xu Qing leaned closer and suddenly licked his neck with her pink tongue before quickly and timidly pulling back. Seeing Jiang Huai’s surprised expression, she giggled.
“Hug me,” she said softly, acting spoiled. A moment later, Jiang Huai gently pulled her into his arms. Her figure was slender. Jiang Huai gently stroked her jet-black hair and said softly, “Sleep.”
Xu Qing rubbed her face against his chest. After a while, she looked up, “I thought… you were going to do something bad.”
“Of course not.”
Just as Xu Qing breathed a small sigh of relief, a tiny sense of disappointment quietly emerged in her heart. These complex emotions churned within her. In an instant, she saw Jiang Huai’s playful eyes. “I wouldn’t bully someone right after arriving. I have to wait a couple of days until they let down their guard before I bully them.”
This time, it was Xu Qing’s turn to be amused and exasperated. She gently bumped her forehead against his chest, then naturally wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing against his warm body, and fell asleep, inhaling the faint scent of him.
***
Well, everything is developing in a good direction, just as Jiang Huai predicted.
There are currently six people living in Wen Wanwan’s courtyard. However, perhaps because they had all explored the Jade Kui Secret Realm together, and Wen Wanwan had good relationships with everyone, they all appeared friendly and harmonious, calling each other older and younger sisters, with no hint of a major explosion.
Jiang Huai had initially envisioned a thousand ways to mediate conflicts, but he never expected the girls to sing and chatter together in harmony. Although Xu Qing and Mu Yao had never been truly bullied by him, they would be asked by the gentle Wanwan to help deal with Jiang Huai’s arrogance with their white and tender little feet at night if they lost mahjong to Wanwan, so that he wouldn’t be too excessive.
The happiest person was probably Mu Yao because she could receive personal guidance from the current master, Luo Qingyu, on the side. Xu Qing, on the other hand, was the shyest, covering her face and lifting her white and tender legs, only daring to peek at Jiang Huai through her fingers.
With everything peaceful in Wen Wanwan’s courtyard, Jiang Huai had to shift his focus to his own courtyard with Chu Xianning.
After all, Luo Yueguan was currently in his courtyard.
***
In the courtyard, threads of rain slanted down.
Luo Yueguan pouted and looked at Chu Xianning in front of her. “When did you secretly dual cultivate with him?”
“We didn’t dual cultivate,” Chu Xianning replied calmly after taking a sip of tea.
“Still pretending? His cultivation level has recovered, isn’t that the result of you dual cultivating with him?”
“No,” Chu Xianning shook her head. “He obtained the Flower Spirit Physique.”
“What method?”
Chu Xianning shook her head. “I won’t tell you.”
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll ask Jiang Huai tonight.”
Jiang Huai, who was sitting on the side boredly studying thick painting, immediately broke out in a cold sweat. Chu Xianning, however, tilted her head slightly and said indifferently, “It’s no use going to his room tonight.”
“Oh?” Luo Yueguan tilted her head.
“He’s sleeping with me tonight,” Chu Xianning replied calmly.
Jiang Huai was slightly taken aback. What the heck? Chu Xianning hadn’t notified him in advance. Luo Yueguan immediately pouted with dissatisfaction and tilted her head up, “Why are you sleeping with him?”
“To save you from asking so many questions.”
“Then I want to know even more. Humph, he’ll tell me eventually. I just won’t tell you that I know.” Luo Yueguan snorted, then suddenly paused. Coming back to her senses, she leaned closer and stared scrutinizingly at Chu Xianning. Chu Xianning’s expression remained cold and aloof, her eyes unblinkingly looking at her.
“Chu Xianning…” Luo Yueguan murmured.
“What?”
“You say right in front of me that you’re going to sleep together with your good disciple, and you’re not even blushing or flustered?”
Chu Xianning glanced at her indifferently. “What?”
“Nothing, I just find it interesting. Let me guess, how far have you developed… Did you feed him ( )?”
A hint of annoyance flickered in Chu Xianning’s eyes. She shook her head. “Do you think everyone is as shameless as you?”
“Hmph, you, who was his mother, have more justification than me. If it’s not that, then… did he coax you into using your feet…”
Chu Xianning’s hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. The next moment, Luo Yueguan’s lips curved upwards. Such a slight change did not escape her eyes. Chu Xianning was far from good at lying. At this moment, Chu Xianning remained silent, which in Luo Yueguan’s eyes meant tacit consent.
She suddenly felt playful and tilted her head up, “How did he trick you…”
Chu Xianning still said nothing.
“Tsk, you such a cold and uninteresting woman, you must be very clumsy… Hahahaha! Ahahaha!” Luo Yueguan burst into laughter, looking at Chu Xianning’s silent, cold-faced, and slightly resentful biting of her lips. Jiang Huai, standing on the side, was sweating profusely.
He had a feeling that Chu Xianning’s resentment would eventually be vented on him.
